Block-molding machine.



N0. 809,367. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

H. P. GATES. BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 22, 1905.

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INVENTOA PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

H. P. GATES. BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1905.

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[NVENTOR jw QVW, BY fl M PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906- H. P. GATES. BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1905.

A/tbrney U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed June 22, 1905. Serial No. 266,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY P. GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Remington, in the county. of Jasper and State of Indiana, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Block-Molding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a block-molding machine particularly adapted for molding cement or plastic building-blocks.

The object of the invention is to form an improved machine capable of transportation for factory or field use and adapted to mold blocks of various sizes and shapes, as will more fully appear from the following description and the drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a top view of the table and moldbox. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an adjustable metal mold-box which is used in- .side the wooden mold when blocks are being made of wet material. Fig. 5 is a detail in section showing means for varying the depth of the mold-box. Fig. 6 is a detail in end elevation of one of the ends of the mold-box, showing an adjustable board for varying the height of the end plate. Fig. 7 is a detail in section of a mold having division-plates therein for molding several blocks at once. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the division-plates. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an adjustable core.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates a plunger carried by a vertically sliding frame 7, formed of properly-connected timbers, which are attached at the corners by U-bolts 8 to sleeves 9, which slide vertically upon four pipe-standards 10, which are braced and connected at the top by cross-pieces 11. The frame and plun er are counterbalanced by weights 12, whlch slide up and down in the hollow standards 10 and which are connected to the frame by cords 13, which pass over rollers 14 on the frame 11. i

The plunger is lowered to press the block by means of levers 15, pivotally connected to the standards 10 at one of a series of holes 16, and said levers are connected by rods 17 to the frame 7. A link or clevis connection is made at 18 to allow the necessary swing, and the upper ends of the rods 17 are threaded, as

at 19, to receive nuts 20, whereby the parts may be adjusted.

The table of the machine is indicated at 21 and has holes 22 therethrough for the standards 10. The mold-box sits on the table and consists of sides 23 and ends 24. The sides and ends are slidable laterally on the table to vary the size of the blocks by either adjustment of the same ends or by the substitution of ends of different widths. The pallet 25 forms the bottom of the mold. The sides 23 and one end 24 are supported by bracketcastings 26, which slide upon the top of the table between guide-blocks 27 thereon, and each has a rack 28 meshing with'a pinion 29 on a shaft 30, which is turned by a crankhandle 31 and has a pawl and ratchet, as shown at 32, to hold the parts as set. The sides have double brackets, as shown, whereas the ends have a single bracket. The bracket at one end differs somewhat from the bracket at the other end, which is indicated at 26 and offset downwardly beyond the end of the pallet, as shown at 26 with its rack 28 -on the under side, where it engages a pinion 29 under the table, said pinion being operated by a shaft 30 and crankhandle 31. This bracket is designed to draw the pallet and block out of the mold and to that end is provided with a hook 33, engageable in a hole 34 in the pallet, and when so engaged by turning the crank 31 the operator can draw the pallet and block out from under the plunger, so that the pallet and block can, be readily got at for removal. A hole 35 in the top of the table allows the hand to take hold under the pallet to lift the same and the block thereon.

' The uprights 10 are mounted on sills 36, to which is hinged at 37 a supporting-block 38, which may be swung up under the table, as shown in Fig. 1, to sustain the pressure and take the strain off the table. The table has at its ends legs 39, with rollers 40. When in use, the sills 36 rest on the floor or ground; but when desired for transportation or to be moved around the sills and the pressure-frame may be lifted and carried by the table, the pressure-block 38 being first swung down, which can be done by slightly lifting the table. The frame may be lifted or blocked up on the table in any suitable manner. A convenient Way is to put a plank across the mold-box, with the cam-faces 15 of the levers resting thereon. By then turning the leversin the proper direction the uprights 10 will be lifted to clear the sills from the ground, and the machine can then be easily moved around as desired. For field. or road work the table may be mounted upon a more elaborate carriage or runninggear instead of the simple legs and rollers with attachments to the running-gear for draft-animals.

When wet or semiliquid plastic material is used in making the blocks, an adjustable metal frame is provided (shown in Fig. 4) comprising sides 41 and ends 42, each-end being hinged to one of the sides, as at 43. These sides and ends are shaped to fit within the mold, being conveniently formed of sheet metal, such as tinned or galvanized iron. To permit the ustment, the sides 41 have longitudinal ribs 44 struck in therefrom near their upper and lower edges, and the ends 42 have notches 45, in which the ribs fit. The ends 24 of the mold also have notches 46 for the same purpose. The ribs 44 are provided say at every inchwith vertical holes 47, and pins 48 fit through loops formed in the ends of the ends 42 and through the holes 47 referred to. The metal box thus formed can then be placed in the main mold-box and set at any desired size. To vary the width of the block, shorter ends 42 can be used.

To vary the depth or thickness of the block, I may vary the height of the ends 24 by the means shown in Fig. 6, comprising a vertically-extensible piece 24, which fits in a rabbet behind the end core-piece 24 and which can be raised or lowered and fixed at adjustment by a set-screw 24, which presses the same in binding contact against the back of the core-piece. To make blocks of less thickness, the pallet-board25 can be blocked up by blocks 25, as shown in Fig. 5, although when this is down the end brackets 26 and 26 must be offset upwardly, as shown, to pass over the block.

The machine is capable of molding several blocks in one operation by the use of the partition-plates shown in Figs. 7 and 8. These plates 49 are set within the mold-box or metal form (shown in Fig. 4) at suitable distances apart and are shaped to form the end cores or spaces, and when the material is placed in the mold-box several-blocks are cast at the same time.

Fig. 9 shows a collapsible core formed in two side parts 50, with wedges 51 therebetween. By withdrawing the wedges when the core is in place in the block the sides will collapse and may be readily removed.

For making ornamental blocks any desired form or design of plate maybe secured to the plunger 6 and being depressed against the block will mold and shape the same accordingly.

In operation. the material is placed in the mold-box'and the plunger depressed. The sides and ends are then backed off by means of the rack-and-pinion devices and the block removed with and upon the pallet, after g lhich another pallet is placed for the next ock.

. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p 1. In a block-molding machine, the combination with a table mounted on wheels and having a mold-box, of a pressure-frame having a plunger over the box, and having supporting-sills under the table and movable up and down with respect thereto, to support the frame on the table or on the ground.

2. In a block-molding machine, the combination with a table and mold thereon, of tubular standards extending above the table, sleeves slidable up and down on the standards, and a plunger-frame secured to the sleeves and having counterbalance-weights connected thereto and located inside the standards.

3. The combination with a table and pallet, of a mold-box thereon having separable sides and ends, means to advance and retract the same, and means to connect the pallet with one of the ends to retract the former with the latter.

4. A mold-box comprising sides having longitudinalribs thereon with a line of holes thereon, ends having loops, and pins insertible through said loops and holes to hold the sides and ends together.

5. An extensible mold-box plate comprising upper and lower plate-sections the former of which may be raised or lowered with {espect to the latter, to vary the depth of the In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY P. GATES.

Witnessesz' RoBT. PARKER, W. L. GUMM. 

